Developed by ELAU AG and launched in 1998, PacDrive M continues to be used on many production lines around the world. PacDrive products continued to be sold until the end of 2018 when its obsolescence was announced.     So how does this affect SM motors and why consider upgrading SM motors to SH3 motors? SM motors […]

Bearings in PacDrive M and PacDrive 3 motors operate under demanding conditions making them amongst the most stressed components on a production line. With motors spinning at up to 8,000 rpm (SM and iSH motors can spin up to 6,000rpm and SH motors to 8,000rpm) not surprisingly these bearings begin to wear over time. Consequently,

In the fast-paced packaging industry, training engineers is vital for helping reduce downtime and maintaining productivity. This increases in importance with obsolete equipment, such as ELAU PacDrive M, as the expertise required to maintain legacy equipment becomes scarcer over time. It may also no longer be directly supported by the OEM, so finding a partner

Predictive maintenance and condition based monitoring (CBM) are two maintenance techniques rapidly gaining traction in packaging. Whilst these focus on keeping production lines running and minimising downtime, there is an advanced option, Prescriptive Analytics. Prescriptive analytics uses a combination of machine learning, algorithms and business rules to simulate a multitude of “what if” scenarios. The

Annual accounts are a legal requirement and these show a company’s health at a specific point in time. There are many influencing factors, but one usually hidden amongst all the figures is the true cost of unplanned downtime. Depending on the type and size of manufacturer this cost can vary from £5,472 per hour (RS

The IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), Industry 4.0 – and now 5.0 – are all developments which have become increasingly familiar. Now there is a new one emerging – digital twins – and which has the potential to transform packaging manufacturing.   Digital twins are virtual replicas of physical systems, such as production lines. They

Many companies still use PacDrive M for their packaging lines meaning maintaining and potentially upgrading PacDrive M systems is increasingly important. Whilst proven this legacy system now faces pressure from sourcing replacement parts and components as well increasing productivity demands. Thankfully though, there is some good news. With strategic maintenance, selective upgrades and expert support,

What are the three most popular web searches relating to PacDrive M? These are Troubleshooting, Spare Parts and Long-Term Maintenance Strategies. Given where we are with PacDrive M obsolescence they are probably to be expected. Let’s look at these individually. Troubleshooting is understandable. Quickly identifying the cause of downtime or breakdown is essential given the

What are the risks of delaying maintenance in manufacturing industry? Before considering these, let’s look at some data published in last year’s RS Components Maintenance Engineering Report*. The average cost of unplanned downtime was nearly £5.5K per hour last year – a near 7% increase over 2023 – with companies experiencing up to 15 hours

MAx-4 controllers were among the earliest ELAU PacDrive M controllers, but were withdrawn from sale in 2010. Now, sourcing these controllers—as well as the necessary parts for repairs—is becoming increasingly difficult. While many MAx-4 units remain vital to production lines the risk of failure and prolonged downtime is growing. A proactive assessment of these risks